The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is dominating the current election campaign on social media, far outpacing its rivals in online engagement. Under leader Herbert Kickl, the FPÖ has amassed 2.4 million interactions across Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram between July and August, according to data from social media market research agency Buzzvalue. This figure dwarfs those of his competitors, Andreas Babler of the SPÖ (603,000) and Karl Nehammer of the ÖVP (464,000).
The FPÖ’s success is credited to its use of simple, provocative, and often exaggerated messaging that resonates with its base. Markus Zimmer, a director at Buzzvalue, notes that the party’s strategy of emotionalising content and creating “enemy images” has been effective for years. Kickl’s Instagram, for example, features dramatic messages such as “Deport knife attackers without delay” and “The horror continues,” referring to Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election as European Commission President.
In contrast, Nehammer and Babler’s social media efforts aim for a more relatable image, with posts showing them attending local events or sporting activities. However, this approach struggles to achieve the same level of impact, particularly against Kickl’s high-octane style.
Parties in the political centre, like the Greens and Neos, face a tougher challenge in gaining traction on social media. Despite experience in digital campaigning, their interactions remain significantly lower, with just 135,000 for the Greens and 80,000 for Neos. Zimmer suggests that these parties need to find new ways to amplify their messages if they hope to compete.
While TikTok has become a key platform for electioneering in countries like the USA, Austrian parties have yet to fully tap into its potential. Some politicians, such as Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) and Leonore Gewessler (Greens), have seen moderate success, but overall, TikTok remains underutilised.
So far, campaign spending on social media has been relatively modest, with the ÖVP spending the most at around €45,000, followed by FPÖ, Neos, SPÖ, and Greens. Despite these low figures, Zimmer predicts a surge in spending as the election nears, citing the 2019 campaign as an example when major parties spent over €100,000 each.
The Bierpartei has demonstrated that success is possible without large budgets, achieving 170,000 interactions purely through organic reach, outpacing both the Greens and Neos. This grassroots approach has given the party a realistic shot at entering the National Council.
With just over three weeks to go until the National Council election, all parties are expected to intensify their online efforts, with the FPÖ currently setting the pace in the digital race.
